Kristina Blahnik takes the legacy of Manolo Blahnik forward with intuition, intention, and elegance

There are fashion icons, and then there is Manolo Blahnik from the world of exquisitely crafted shoes synonymous with art. The everlasting appeal of the man and his eponymous brand has more to do with the storied legacy built over decades and eternalised by cultural zeitgeist. While the Spanish designer remains at the forefront of his brand, it’s his niece, Kristina Blahnik, who steered the brand to new heights by joining as CEO in 2013. Her creative vision and strategic leadership have ensured that the brand continues to thrive globally while honouring the artisanal craftsmanship and timeless design that define its legacy.

She has been instrumental in several initiatives undertaken by the brand—from the Manolo Blahnik Foundation in support of mental health, animal welfare, and new generations in creative industries, to global collaborations, including the ongoing exhibition, titled Marie Antoinette Style, at the V&A Museum, curated by Dr Sarah Grant. It showcases an edit of the handcrafted Marie Antoinette-inspired styles Blahnik has designed over the years alongside original sketches. This is the first time the designer displays his working drawings, revealing part of his design process. Alongside the exhibition, Blahnik has designed a limited-edition capsule collection available in Manolo Blahnik stores across the world.

In an exclusive Zoom interview, Kristina takes us through the brand’s iconic legacy, leading with innovation, creativity, and social responsibility.

Harper’s Bazaar: What does it mean to carry the legacy of Manolo Blahnik, both as a family member and  
the CEO?

Kristina Blahnik: I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity. In many ways, it completes me, which is a strange thing to say, but it has given me a clear purpose in life. And it’s one of the hardest things to find in life, ‘purpose’. Protecting the legacy of what my uncle and my mother built over the last 55 years and ensuring that it remains in its purest form possible, with evolution being part of that journey, is really 
important to me. 

If I can ensure generations beyond mine can learn not only about what Manolo did as a shoe designer, but also Manolo, the academic and the intellectual, to give pathways for people to explore other areas, such as film, history of art, literature, all of which collectively feeds into Manolo’s mind and creative output—that would be, for me, success. 

HB: With a foundational background in architecture, how do you leverage it in your creative and business 
strategies?

KB: I’m fortunate to have passions in both the technical aspects and the creative side of things. My left and right sides of the brain are fairly balanced—the world of architecture helped me to harness it. 

And what I’ve brought into the family business, of course, in a literal sense, is how a shoe is made. Over time, I’ve learned that there’s a different skill, which is the softer skill that I use more than just the practical skill of making things. It’s the skill of visualising the future and being able to write or draw it today, so that I can bring everyone in the team with me on the journey to reach the end goal. Digital or physical archives—the end goal is beyond my lifetime. Manolo Blahnik still needs to stand for creativity, academia, warmth, safety, and freedom—all those values still need to transcend our own lifetime.

HB: ‘Heritage meets innovation’ has become the overarching marketing narrative for fashion. How do you ensure it’s a lived philosophy for the brand?

KB: You can’t innovate in the absence of reflection. So for us, innovation is evolution. It’s not a revolution; it is not turning our back on where we began, which is through handcrafted traditions. Innovation in terms of mass production or technologies that don’t fit into our handmade craft realm is not the direction we undertake. We’re prepared and keen to innovate on how to make our products more responsible, create comfort, and longevity. Supporting animal welfare, evolving our core values, elevating customer experience, and staying true to the brand are some of the ways we define the spirit of innovation.

HB: What has been your vision and inspiration behind launching the Manolo Blahnik Archives in 2021?

KB: One of Manolo’s mottos is ‘without tradition we are nothing’. It makes me think: what does the past mean to the present? What do the past and present mean for the future? The fact is, they are inextricably linked. You can’t have one without the other. When I finished my architecture diploma, I went to Bath and photographed the entire archive at the time. This was in 1999. And that embedded me into the history of what my uncle had done. Of course, I’ve grown up with it as well. I’ve seen it, know the stories behind the shoes. For me, this archive is an important piece of not only my family’s and my uncle’s history, but also about giving back as a learning tool, serving as an inspiration to future generations. Initially, my dream was to buy a beautiful building somewhere and design the physical archives in such a way that they can be living, working archives accessible to the public. But then the pandemic struck in 2020, and our 50th anniversary was in 2021. Creating a digital library was the best way to celebrate this milestone. We have designed it in a modular format to add more rooms of inspiration. In future, we wish to embed  VR and AR so that you can experience the shoes, see them up close, observe the details, the little stitches, and sometimes the tiny flaws that make them real.

HB: How does it align with the way ‘luxury’ is perceived in the present day?

KB: I have a strong view on what luxury is. Freedom, for me, is a luxury.  There are beautiful objects around us, and you end up treasuring them because they make you feel good. But luxury is freedom. To be an independent brand, free of external forces that are unhealthy in our journey, is important to us than commercial growth. We would rather scale down to ensure that our foundations and our pillars are maintained in the long term.

We take our time to do things; timelessness is an intrinsic part of our collections. Nothing is done for the sake of fashion because fashion, by its very nature, is transient. We want to be remembered as a brand that isn’t fashionable but one that is founded on creativity and intellect. It boils down to the luxury of experience. 

HB: Tell us about the ongoing Marie Antoinette Style exhibition at the V&A Museum.

KB: When the talks started early last year, I knew it had to happen. Marie Antoinette is an eternal inspiration to my uncle. She is someone that he adores. My grandmother used to read the Stefan Zweig biography to him when he was a child. Marie Antoinette has been with him his whole life. And he’s had a couple of moments in his life where he got as close as he ever will to meeting her, which was through Milena Canonero and Sofia Coppola’s film. And now this moment, where we have four eras of Marie  Antoinette’s style and her inspiration…what better way to present a legacy of a lifetime? If we can learn anything from her, then we have gained multifolds.

HB: What’s next from the world of Manolo Blahnik? What are your plans for the future?

KB: This year, we have focused more on store openings. So, investing and growing our direct-to-consumer footprint is an important journey for us. It ensures that our storytelling spaces and experiences are globally available. Last year we focused on Asia. This year, we’ve opened in Miami and Milan, and will open in 
California towards the end of the year. We’re also focusing on the bride, the wedding party, and the groom—the whole bridal experience. So, Married in Manolo’s continues to celebrate real people because for many, it might be the very first and maybe the only time that they invest in a pair of Manolos. So, making that experience as magical as it can be, is important to us. Then of course, we have the Marie Antoinette exhibition.

Lead image: Kristina Blahnik 

All images: Courtesy the brand

This article first appeared in the October print issue of Harper's Bazaar India 
 

Also read: #BazaarExclusive: Galeries Lafayette debuts in India. From Dhruv Kapoor to Bodice—these are the Indian designers bringing their craft and cool to it

Also read: Godet: The vintage tailoring detail that’s bringing back flare with flair